Languages in the United States
Books in Fitzgerald Library
The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication by Call Number: Lower Level 302.2 R86ISBN: 9780415572545Publication Date: 2011-12-05A comprehensive introduction to the multidisciplinary field of intercultural communication. Among the key themes addressed are the language and culture nexus; the complex relationship between language, culture, identity, agency, power and context; conceptions of intercultural (communicative) competence; English as the primary medium for intercultural communications; and developments in intercultural communication research and praxis, among others.
Language and Social Identity by Call Number: Lower Level 306.44 L28sISBN: 0897897838Publication Date: 2003-12-30"Whenever we open our mouths to speak, we provide those who hear us, chosen interlocuters or mere bystanders, with a wealth of data, linguistic clues others use to position us within a specific social strata. Our particular uses of language mark us geographically, ethnically, by age or sex, and, especially in stratified societies, according to class or caste. This collection of papers by researchers in cultural and linguistic anthropology examine these concepts as well as many others." (from book description)
Online Resources
- Blurring the Line between Language and CultureFatiha Guessabi argues that culture is a language in itself. "Language and culture have a complex, homologous relationship. Language is complexly intertwined with culture (they have evolved together, influencing one another in the process, ultimately shaping what it means to be human)."
- Language: The cornerstone of national identityOf the national identity attributes included in the Pew Research Center survey, language far and away is seen as the most critical to national identity.
- Language Use in the United States (from the Census Bureau)Despite the predominance of English, "many people in the United States speak languages other than English, and there has long been an interest in these groups and in how well they are able to participate in civic life and interact with the English-speaking majority."
- Speaking of Identity: The Effects of Language on Cultural IdentityArticle from the student newspaper at a Qatari university which explores "multilinguals faced with issues when it comes to balancing language and their cultural backgrounds."
Scholarly Articles
- Globalization of English: Loss of Minority Languages and Cultural DestructionThis paper discusses the globalized state of English and how the language merges with, engulfs, gorges, and finally replaces languages of minority communities, thereby obliterating cultural identity and memory. It explores the reasons for the rapid and pervasive spread of English. It explores and discusses language and cultural knowledge among minority communities, indigenous peoples, and immigrants. Examples, current and historical, are offered. The paper details the major crisis in language loss occurring in developing countries and cautions that that diverse languages and cultures risk being swallowed by global English. (Abstract from author)
- Understanding the Interconnectedness between Language Choices, Cultural Identity Construction and School Practices in the Life of a Latina Educator"This qualitative research looks at the effects that language choices and cultural practices have on identity development in the education of minority students in the United States. It examines the educational journey of Irma, a Latina educator. Through the analysis of interviews with the participant, this paper intends to show the effects of language ideologies on her cultural identity and
literacy development." (From abstract)